Meet The Team

After teaching dance and wellness full-time in various public and private schools for over fifteen years, Vanessa decided to share her passionate knowledge of global citizens education to her community. Native of Belgium but an Angelina for over twenty years, historic district of West-Adams is for her what comes closest to the neighborhood she grew up in Brussels. A diverse community with a rich history!

Prior to being an educator, Vanessa worked in the entertainment industry as a performer, then moved to New York to tour worldwide with various dance companies. When her son turned two, she retired from performing and focused on developing her program: Dance and Global Consciousness.

 Vanessa was one of the first bgirls in Belgium (94'), moved to LA in 2000, B.A. from UCLA, M.A. from NYU Tisch, in addition to teaching Dance all over the USA, she has taught Yoga and Pilates at the European Parliament for two and half years. As a founding dance educator at the Geffen Academy at UCLA, she learned what it takes to get an institution started. Connecting to the higher spirit through dance is what drives her. PiYoDa Flow is a space where we (re)connect with the rhythm of our hearts and expand the vibration of our souls. 

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Indira Leneman, known as Laroye Aña, was born and raised in Havana, Cuba.  Her love for dance began at the age of four and her love for the arts in general began at the age of 12.  She has performed in different companies, such as Compañia de Teatro y Danza Tony Menendez (2003 -2006), Compañia de Danza Moderna- Comtemporanea y Folklor Narciso Medina (2007-2008), and, as an actress, in Compania de Teatro Renny Arozarena (2006 -2008). She has also performed in several TV programs, and in a few music videos. From 2008 to February of 2010, she was enrolled in the Escuela de Formacion Profesional para Bailarines, in Havana, Cuba, where she received their certification for the title of Bailarina Profesional Figurante de Espectaculos in February of 2010.  At that point she was accepted into the Compania de Ballet y Espectaculos Tropicana (also known as Cabaret Tropicana), where she worked for 7 years until she left Cuba. Upon Moving to Los Angeles in 2017, she has continued to teach Afro- Cuban & Cuban popular & traditional genres both community, private classes, & in academies such as Liz Lira Dance Academy here in LA and around of US. She has taught a few classes at Fullerton University. She started working at Viver Brasil Dance Company, directed by Linda Yudin & Luiz Badaro, where she began studying and training Afro- Brazilian & popular dances. Since that time she has performed in many of their shows & events, such as “İViva Navidad!”, an engagement at Disney California Adventure Park, from November 2017 through January 2020, “Samba in the Streets LA”, at Leimert Park, “Jam Session: Samba Dance & Drumming”, at the Ford Theatre,“Viver Brasil’s 2018 fundraiser”, & others during the last 3 years.  In addition, she worked as a solo dancer “Tribute to Celia Cruz”, in Palms Spring,in the Dodgers Stadium in 2019 & 2021 under the direction of Yambu Production, at Liz Lira Dance Academy on When In Roma, in the World Salsa Fest 2021, in Conga Kids as a dance guest & dance consultant,  and “The Cuban American Music Festival” in L.A in 2018, 2019, & now in 2021. Concurrently , she works for Raiz Brazil Dance Company, directed by Jonia McClenney, where she performed in several shows and parades , such as the “Afro-latin Parade”, Conga Room Latin nights shows, the Blame It on Rio, the Sergio Mendes concert at Hollywood Bowl in 2021, and others.

Born and raised in Los Angeles California, began drumming and dancing at the early age of six with Dembrebrah West African Drum and Dance Ensemble, as inspired by his parents.  Started officially training in other styles in the beginning of high school (contemporary, hiphop, heels, modern, ballet, lyrical). Much of his childhood was spent training and performing African drum and dance.

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Pooja has been teaching Zumba since 2019 and considers it a fun-filled hobby. She believes dance is an excellent form of cardio and a connector of the mind and body. She remembers her first Zumba class, as a student, she couldn't get any of the moves down but found herself out of breath, her heart was beating, and more importantly, it was fun! She is also an actress so her mindset is that "performing" is part of the enjoyment and pleasure of taking a Zumba class. Feel free to follow her @ThisIsPoojaShah or email at me@thepoojashah.com

Marianna Varviani was born in Athens, Greece. She has worked in the U.K., Brazil, Greece, Spain, and U.S.A. as a dancer, choreographer, actress, director, and instructor. She is the artistic director and founder of ‘Selcouth’. Marianna has a BA in Contemporary theatre from Eat15 Drama School/University of Essex and a Masters of Fine Arts in Dance from UCLA. She has worked with, amongst others: ‘Ha! Theater Ensemble’, Brian Astbury, Uri Roodner, Ken Cambel, Ian Morgan, Tobby Clarke, Patari Project, Stella Spyrou, ‘Ohi Paizoume’. She has choreographed ‘Vortex’, ‘Ahtikos_ a dance of liberation‘, ‘Phoenix_ rising from the ashes’, and the award-winning short film collection ‘Time to Dream’. Her works have been presented at the ‘Arc for dance festival’, ‘Our festival’, ‘European Dance Network’ as well as other venues in Greece and U.S.A.  

Open House is a House Dance and Music community in the greater Los Angeles area aimed to support and build a haven for dancers and music lovers of all ages, race, color or creed. Together we share the knowledge of House Dance music, philosophy and club culture while preserving its original essence of honest and pure expression. 

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Open House welcomes dancers every Thursday from 9pm-12am for an open session. Pre-registration is preferred on this website. We often have guests teaching prior to our session. Check @openhousefamily IG for more info.

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Hi, my name is Jasmine. I love nature, traveling and anything that allows me to explore & expand different versions of myself. As a self-care advocate, yoga has been a daily practice that inspires me to go deeper within & to guide my students through their own expansion. 

Yulia was born in Moscow, Russia, raised in Miami, and moved to LA, where she studied with her Yoga teacher, Raghavan. He inspired her to spread the lifestyle of Hatha Yoga. Yulia enjoys working with people of all ages and all walks of life, her positive and intense energy is contagious. You walk out of the class feeling refreshed, and like you just had a full body massage. Every class has a formula, the outline does not change.  It is our mind and body that change every day.

Dancer, Choreographer, Filmmaker and Teacher from Tampa, Florida  now residing in Los Angeles, Ca. She has a focus in concert, commercial and the underground freestyle scene. 

She began her movement journey at the age of 2 in her grandparents home. Surrounded by Palo and Merengue music, she could always be found Improvising any and everywhere. 

Within the essence of her freestyle she experiments in blending styles. Which include;  Ballet, Modern and Contemporary with Street + Club dance styles such as Popping, House, Waving and Salsa. Reflecting back what she likes to call her “Sancocho.” She has performed and collaborated with; The Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre Company and toured both nationally and internationally with Contra-Tiempo’s ‘JoyUS JustUS’. She has also featured her independent piece, ‘Sancocho’ at Blaktinx and worked with artists such as, Dua Lipa, Christina Aguilera and Ozuna. 

Shantel is a passionate visionary and storyteller. Her most recent short film, ‘Generational Wealth’ is a story on reclaiming the narrative of wealth. Interconnecting familial lineage healing and more through dance and magical realism.